Apple’s grip on its App Store’s developers may have been loosened by last week’s legal ruling, but its assured hold on hardware in the shape of the iPhone seems as unshakeable as ever.
The unveiling of the latest model at its Silicon Valley headquarters today was unspectacular to say the least, but the Trendforce research firm still expects the iPhone 13 to account for nearly 40 per cent of 230m units produced this year, a 15.6 per cent rise on 2020’s total numbers. Wedbush analysts say older models are ripe for replacement, with around 250m of Apple’s near 1bn iPhones having not been upgraded for over three years.
For the record, the 13 comes in five new colours, has a 28 per cent brighter display and uses a next-generation A15 chip. There is a dual-camera system, with the main Wide camera having a bigger sensor for brighter results and better low-light and night mode performance. The second camera is a 12Mp Ultra Wide unit. Video features a new Cinematic Mode that allows professional focus transitions. There are more 5G bands, battery life on the 13 mini is an extra 90 minutes and the bigger 13 will last 2.5 hours longer. The mini starts at $699 and the regular 13 from $799, with 128GB starting capacity and a new 512GB storage option. The Pro and Pro Max have a brighter Super Retina XDR display and three cameras, with the addition of a telephoto lens. They start at $999 and $1099 for the Pro and Pro Max and there is a 1TB storage option. The phones will be available on September 24.